Held to just 22 points in the second half, the #8-ranked (
D3hoops.com/USA Today) New York University women's basketball team was defeated by the University of Rochester 72-63 on Friday night, February 6, in Rochester, NY.
The Violets (17-2, 6-2 University Athletic Association) started off the contest slowly, but jumped out to a 38-26 lead with 1:30 remaining in the first half courtesy of a 14-2 run. NYU took a 41-32 lead over the Yellowjackets (12-7, 4-4 UAA) into the locker room at the break.
"Basketball is certainly a game of momentum and it shifts back and forth," said NYU Head Coach
Lauren Hall-Gregory. "I think it's about being able to weather the other team's runs and put a couple of stops together. We were able to do that in the first half and again a little in the second. But, we weren't able to withstand their run late as well as we would have liked."
Once the second half began, NYU scored two quick buckets in the first minute to extend its lead to 13. From there, Rochester went on spells of 7-0, 12-2 and closed out the contest on a 17-6 run. In addition, the Yellowjackets held the top-10 Violets to just five field goals (5-of-8) and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. Rochester also edged NYU down low for the game, outrebounding the Violets 54-38.
"Poor shooting or not, what it came down to was rebounding," continued Hall-Gregory. "When you're outrebounded by 16, you're not going to win a lot of games like that. The challenge for us is to become a better rebounding team and for it to be important to us moving forward."
HIGHLIGHTS: - It is just the second loss of the season for NYU, who has now split with Rochester (home-and-home) each of the last two seasons.
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Kaitlyn Read led the effort for the Violets with a team-best 18 points (7-of-14 from the floor; 2-of-4 from long range). The sophomore was one of just two players in the game to score in double figures. Read also nabbed two steals along with two assists and two rebounds in a team-high 29 minutes.
"Kaitlyn is a pretty multi-dimensional offensive player – she can score in transition, she can hit the three, she can drive and attack, and she makes the players around her better on offense, as well," said Hall-Gregory.
- Alexandria Leslie of Rochester led all players with 28 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, going 12-of-13 from the free throw line.
"A lot of kudos goes to Leslie of Rochester and the way that she stepped up as a freshman, putting her team on her back. That's what good players do," Hall-Gregory said.
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Emily Rowe finished with a team-high 10 rebounds for NYU along with eight points.
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Drew Cabral chipped in nine points and three assists, while grabbing five rebounds in 12 minutes.
"I think it's something we knew before this game. This league is tough and you have to come every night," said Hall-Gregory. "When you're at the top of the conference, you've earned the right to have the 'X' on your back. But, you can't be complacent in any possession. We also learned that if you don't rebound, you can't win."
The Violets will return to the court on Sunday afternoon, February 8, when they face Emory University on the road in Atlanta, GA. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 pm following the completion of the men's game.
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